The Devil Inside Won't Control My Life
by Crowsfan
Summary: AU: In the eyes of the world, Princess Emma was the luckiest girl in the Enchanted Forest. Destined to rule her mother's kingdom one day, she was courted daily by the bravest knights and the highest lords throughout the land... But Princesses ought to be poised, well-mannered and virtuous. Emma was none of those things.
1. Prologue

**AN: Okay so only the first chapter will contain this kind of fairytale language. I'm actually a writer who heavily favours dialogue, jsyk. As for what ships this fic will feature, The Hunstman, Baelfire and Captain Hook will be featured. I'm not going to tell you who's endgame now, but it won't be a mystery for long.**

**I used to be a fanfic writer for NCIS, but that was a while ago. This is sort of my second coming, new identity, new ships, new fandom. I welcome any dialogue with readers. But unless you log in to post your reviews, I'm not going to respond.**

**Oh, and obviously this is really fucking short because it's a prologue.**

**I've always sucked at titles, I usually resort to my favourite songs for help.  
**

* * *

In a palace that overlooked a lake, high atop the tallest tower, was a room. In this room lived a Princess with golden hair and skin fair and as white as her mother's namesake. In the eyes of the world, Princess Emma was the luckiest girl in the Enchanted Forest. Destined to rule her mother's kingdom one day, she was courted daily by the bravest knights and the highest lords throughout the land.

But for the princess her charmed life and her beautiful room atop the tallest tower were nothing more than an elaborate prison trapping her into a life she did not want and was wholly unsuited to. Princesses ought to be poised, well-mannered and virtuous. Emma was none of those things.


	2. Chapter 1

**In some ways this story is going to be a pain. Because it's set exclusively in an AU with no curse, all the characters are stuck with their pre curse names. Which is unfortunate in the case of Pinocchio especially because that man is too hot for his old name. Anyway, read, enjoy, hope to hear from you.**

* * *

Like her mother before her, Princess Emma's great defining moment in her life occurred after going out for a horse ride. And like her mother, Emma's life went rather rapidly downhill from there.

It was a fair midsummer's day that saw the Princess riding away from the castle as fast as her spritely mare's hooves could make ground. Emma glanced back to check for pursuers, but even as she left the causeway and hit the main road there was no sign of her father's men. As she eased back into a leisurely canter, Emma adjusted the hood of her cloak. In the parts of the forest closest to the Palace the faces of the royal family were well known by the commonfolk. It would not do for people to know that the Princess was out riding when she was meant to be spending the summer solstice celebrations being courted by a Duke from the westernmost reaches of the enchanted forest.

Ugh, the Duke. Emma grimaced at the thought of the man. In spite of his undisputable good looks and alleged great fortune, the Duke was quite possibly her least favourite suitor yet. And for Emma, who had been courted seemingly by a different man every week since she'd come of age five years past, that was saying something.

Emma didn't really believe that the true love her parents so obviously (and sickeningly) shared was something she would ever experience. But she was quite certain that she could never marry a man she loathed like the Duke, who'd taken one look at her, turned to her father and declared that she was 'very pretty in the face', and that he was quite certain he'd seen all he needed to see of the Princess, would the Prince consort like to start marriage negotiations that afternoon or after the solstice? Emma hadn't waited to hear her father's reply, she'd tossed her drink into the Duke's face before storming out of the throne room. Emma changed into a set of riding clothes she kept stashed in the back of the stables, and fled the palace.

Now as she joined the traffic that flowed daily along the road leading from the palace down to the main port two hour's ride away, Emma felt her temper cooling. She felt absolutely no regret for her actions insofar as the pig of a Duke was concerned, but Emma did in a small way regret the trouble she was constantly causing her parents. Queen Snow White and Prince Charming were heroes to their kingdom, theirs a tale of tragedy, true love and triumph over evil. To say that Princess Emma was not living up to the hype of being their sole heir was an understatement. Emma could feel herself sinking into a pit of self-loathing and despair, she knew there was really only one cure for that which ailed her. She turned her horse away from the main road and struck out along a barely discernible animal track through the depths of the forest.

* * *

It only took Emma a couple of hours to arrive at the saw mill located on the banks of a river that flowed into the lake. Emma dismounted and hobbled her horse out of sight of the mill. Flitting from tree to tree on the high ground, Emma watched the two men below her carved and sanded in the sun, chatting amiably as they worked. Emma waited until the older man disappeared back inside the saw mill. She cupped her hands around her mouth and made a couple of cawing noises that were impressively similar to the real thing. Below her the curly headed man looked up and spotted her, she smirked and winked, pointing back in the direction where her horse was.

Emma was back in the saddle when Pinocchio appeared on his own horse. Emma couldn't help thinking for a moment that for boy who had once been a wooden puppet, Pinocchio had grown to be a fine looking man. 'So I take it that things with the Duke did not go so well?' he enquired as they rode side by side.

'He's definitely in my bottom five, I think he's a good chance to be crowned the worst suitor ever,' Emma retorted, her face a mask of distaste.

'I'm not surprised that you rejected him, like the thousand other suitors you've disdained. But I must say this one did not last nearly as long as I'd expected,' Pinocchio replied. 'At the tavern last night some of the palace maids were swooning over your Duke, in a way I've really only ever seen them swoon for your father. Usually you're much more sympathetic to a pretty face, that is after all why you always seek out my company, yes?'

Emma rolled her eyes as Pinocchio grinned. 'Ugh, well he may have had a nice face, but he took one look at me and turned to my father to ask how much I would cost. I am no man's ornament.'

Pinocchio winced. 'I see.'

'Let's not waste time talking about the pig, okay? I just want to go out and enjoy the solstice celebrations far away from any rooms filled with suitors or my parents. This day is not one that should be wasted on the likes of him.'

'Well said, now I think we need to go and get very drunk.' Pinocchio grinned and kicked his horse into a gallop, Emma smiled and gave chase.

The pair had been riding for all of a few minutes when they came across a dozen black clad riders on the road. Emma and Pinocchio stopped, staring at the sight before them. They never saw people on this trail, certainly not riders who were dressed in a manner eerily similar to how she'd heard the Evil Queen's soldiers used to dress.

'Shit, Em.' Pinocchio muttered, because he definitely did recognise the uniforms, and knew that this could mean nothing good. Without waiting for the soldiers to make a move, the pair kicked their horses into a gallop and took off, away from the trail and deep into the forest. Pinocchio only took the time to glance back once, the soldiers were in hot pursuit.

Emma's horse took the lead by virtue of being the faster animal. She led Pinocchio and the soldiers through the forest, trying to get her bearings so that she could make for a town or the Palace, anywhere where they might find loyal subjects willing to fend off her attackers.

Instead they came upon the river, Emma swore under her breath as she urged her horse to go faster along the river bank, to cross the open ground as quickly as possible. But the inevitable happened and Emma ducked as an arrow flew by her head, there was a shout from behind before suddenly her horse let out a shriek.

Time seemed to slow as Emma's horse stumbled and began to fall beneath her. Pinocchio reach out as he passed her and pulled her across onto the back of his own horse. Emma turned and looked back behind them just as they disappeared back into the forest, the soldiers were gaining ground.

Emma gripped Pinocchio's jacket, pulling herself up to speak in his ear. 'Your horse cannot outrun them carrying two of us.' She shouted over the pounding of hooves and the panting of both the horse and riders.

'Emma,' Pinocchio replied, he offered no answers or lies about their chances of escape.

'We both know what they want, if they catch you though, you will be killed.' Emma explained, 'I need you to tell my parents, if you don't tell them, who knows how long it will take them to find me.'

'Not long at all, those men are loyal to the Evil Queen.'

'But my parents don't know she has men and reach beyond the tower again.'

'I can't just let them have you, Emma.'

'I can't just let them kill you either, you're the closest thing I have to a brother.' Emma replied as she pushed away from Pinocchio and tumbled to the ground in the way that her father had taught her to fall from a horse.

'No! Emma!' Pinocchio wheeled around.

'Go! I'm ordering you to go now!' Emma screamed back at him, she could see the soldiers coming.

'I'm sorry, Emma!' Pinocchio cried as he turned and raced away from her on his horse.

Emma swept back her hood and turned to face her kidnappers, maintaining a furious scowl as they surrounded her. One of them dismounted and approached her, removing his helmet as he did so. Emma's anger deepened as she recognised the Duke.

'You.' She spat, wishing she was armed so that she could take a swipe at the man's smug face.

'She told me you'd give me trouble, but this was rather easy.' The Duke declared, it was the last thing Emma saw before his armoured fist hit her jaw.

* * *

Pinocchio burst into the throne room, he was still breathing heavily from his frantic ride through the forest. The captain of the guards manning the front gate followed. 'Your majesties, I'm sorry but he simply would not wait.' The guard declared, scowling at Pinocchio, who ignored him and hurried towards the thrones. Snow White frowned at the sight of the man and glanced at her husband, worried. The Prince returned her concern.

'Emma's been kidnapped.' Pinocchio declared, the entire room seemed to freeze, on the throne Snow White let out a cry. Pinocchio fell to his knees. 'I'm so sorry, she told me to go, to tell you. I should have stayed and fought them.'

The Prince jumped up from his throne and rushed forward, pulling Pinocchio to his feet. 'Who did this? Tell me everything you know.'

'It was the Evil Queen, Regina.' explained Pinocchio.

'No.' Snow White shook her head as she moved to her husband's side. 'She is trapped in her tower, with no magic or friends beyond its walls.'

'I swear to you, the soldiers, they were dressed as her men.' Pinocchio insisted. The Prince let go of Pinocchio and turned to the captain.

'Assemble your men, we'll leave in an hour.' He ordered, the Captain threw a hurried salute and rushed out of the room. The Prince turned to Snow White's closest friend. 'Red, you'll take a dozen riders, Pinocchio will show you where she was taken. See if you can't follow the trail. I can't afford to let it go cold if this isn't Regina's work.'

'Don't bother sending men with me, I'll get more done on my own.' Red replied grimly. 'Come on Pinocchio, let's not tarry.'

David turned to his wife, 'Just like we always found each other, I'll find her too.' He promised.

'David, we're going to find her together. Have my horse saddled, I'm going to change out of this gown.' Snow announced as she marched out of the room, not for the first time David took a moment to think about just how amazing his wife really was.


End file.
